“Todo sobre mi madre” or “All About my Mother” is a Spanish film written and directed by the great Pedro Almodóvar. It was released in 1999 and Almodóvar went on to win “Best Director” in the Cannes Film Festival for it. It then went on to win both Oscar and BAFTA in 2000 for “Best Foreign Language Film”.
Plot ------ Manuela (Cecilia Roth) is the transplant coordinator in an organ transplant unit. She lives with her 17 year old son Esteban (Eloy Azorín). The boy is writing a story about his mother entitled “All About my Mother”.
On Esteban’s 18th birthday they go to see a performance of “A Streetcar Named Desire” starring one of Esteban’s favourite actresses Huma Rojo (Marisa Paredes). After the performance Esteban wants Huma’s autograph so they wait outside the back door.
As they wait Esteban mentions that he noticed his mother was very moved by the performance. She explains that twenty years before she herself had acted in the same play with his father. Esteban is surprised by the mention of his father as his mother never talks about him and asks to know all. Manuela explains that it is a hard story to tell but promises to tell him all when they get home. However, as Huma leaves the theatre and Esteban runs after her for an autograph he is tragically and shockingly run over and killed.
Manuela is devastated and she reads in Esteban’s notebook how much he wanted to know his father. So Manuela sets off to Barcelona to find Esteban’s father and tell him about the son he never knew.
On arrival in Barcelona Manuela chances upon an old friend Agrado (Antonia San Juan). Agrado is a transvestite prostitute and used to live with Manuela and Esteban’s father Lola (also a transvestite).
As Manuela is looking for work Agrado suggests that Manuela pretends to be a prostitute and takes her to meet a young nun called Sister Rosa (Penélope Cruz) who works with the city’s down and outs. Sister Rosa was also the last person to have seen Lola and it transpires that Lola has left Rosa a poison legacy.
Manuela also crosses paths with Huma Rojo and becomes her personal assistant. Huma is having problems with her heroin addicted lover Nina (Candela Peña).
The film goes on to show how the relationships between the women develop through their personal difficulties and tragedies.
Eventually Lola (Toni Cantó) turns up, dressed in black with a cane, death personified. Manuela is then finally able to tell him about the son he never knew he had.
My Opinion ---------------
“All About my Mother” is a film about mothers and their relationships with their children or surrogate children. It also explores the roles that women play when not acting as mothers. Nearly all of the characters in the film are women, except Esteban who dies early in the film and Agrado and Lola who act and behave like women. Without men to interfere Almodovar freely explores the interactions between this fascinating set of “females”. The result is a highly emotional and richly woven tapestry.
The performances are masterful. Cecilia Roth is excellent as the strong willed Manuela who though devastated by the loss of her son is able to act as mother to others in need. Veteran actress Marisa Paredes brings a world weary toughness to the part of Huma. Penelope Cruz is extremely likeable as Rosa – she is so much better in Spanish films that in American ones. Antonia San Juan is delightful as Agrado and brings humour and pathos to the part. And finally Toni Cantó as Lola, though only briefly in the film is sensitive and moving as he discovers the existence of the son he never knew.
Visually, the film bears the director's trademark of bright colors and interesting patterns. There are also a number of striking images, including that of a train racing through a tunnel and Manuela standing in front of a giant image of Huma's face. Almodovar alludes to both "A Streetcar Named Desire" and “All About Eve” on multiple occasions. So, although the film can be viewed as an exquisitely constructed melodrama, for those who wish to dig deeper, there are other riches to uncover. The film is topped by a superb soundtrack by “Alberto Iglesias”.
Almodóvar explains on the film’s official website that he was inspired to make the film by remembering his childhood in Spain where the men were macho and in charge but it was the women who really resolved the problems and to do this they often had to lie. And so the film is about women’s ability to lie, hide and fake and thus allow life to flow and develop without men finding out or obstructing it. He goes on to say that it is also about wounded maternity and the spontaneous solidarity between women.
The film is movingly ended by Almodovar’s dedication:-
“To Bette Davis, Gena Rowlands, Romy Schneider…To all actresses who have played actresses, to all women who act, to men who act and become women, to all the people who want to be mothers. To my mother.”
Summary -------------
I cannot recommend this film highly enough. It is beautifully filmed and powerfully acted. It has a strong and intelligent plot. It has much humour and much sadness. It has tragedy and it has hope. The slightly bizarre bunch of characters are at all times extremely human and you feel deeply for them.
It’s not for you if you cannot handle subtitles or if you need lots of action in your films. But for everyone else – a must.
Thankyou for reading.
++++
Official web site :- http://www.sonypictures.com/classics/allaboutmymother/
Rated 15 for sexuality including strong sexual dialogue, language and some drug content.
Production Year: 2001 - Drama - Director: Phil Alden Robinson, Richard Loncraine, Mikael Salomon, David Nutter, Tom Hanks, David Leland, David Frankel, Tony To - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over
![All About My Mother [1999]](http://picnic.ciao.com/uk/65513719.jpg)
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